The 2026 Snowbird Index
The best US winter escapes for Canadians, ranked by how warm January is, how often the sun is out and what day-to-day life costs. Every figure is an approximate average, good for comparing places, not an official statistic.
The ranking
| # | Place | State | January | Sun days | Cost | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Myers | Florida | 18°C / 64°F | 260 | About average (index 103) | 72 |
| 2 | Fort Lauderdale | Florida | 20°C / 68°F | 245 | Above average (index 118) | 70 |
| 3 | Miami | Florida | 20°C / 68°F | 250 | Above average (index 125) | 69 |
| 4 | Naples | Florida | 19°C / 66°F | 265 | Above average (index 125) | 69 |
| 5 | Key West | Florida | 21°C / 70°F | 260 | Well above average (index 150) | 67 |
| 6 | Honolulu | Hawaii | 23°C / 73°F | 270 | Well above average (index 185) | 65 |
| 7 | Phoenix | Arizona | 13°C / 55°F | 299 | About average (index 105) | 64 |
| 8 | St. Petersburg | Florida | 16°C / 61°F | 250 | About average (index 104) | 63 |
| 9 | Tampa | Florida | 16°C / 61°F | 245 | About average (index 100) | 63 |
| 10 | Palm Springs | California | 14°C / 57°F | 300 | Above average (index 120) | 63 |
| 11 | Sarasota | Florida | 16°C / 61°F | 250 | Above average (index 112) | 61 |
| 12 | Tucson | Arizona | 12°C / 54°F | 286 | About average (index 96) | 61 |
| 13 | Orlando | Florida | 16°C / 61°F | 233 | About average (index 101) | 60 |
| 14 | Scottsdale | Arizona | 13°C / 55°F | 290 | Above average (index 115) | 59 |
| 15 | San Diego | California | 14°C / 57°F | 265 | Well above average (index 145) | 48 |
| 16 | Jacksonville | Florida | 12°C / 54°F | 220 | About average (index 95) | 47 |
| 17 | Los Angeles | California | 14°C / 57°F | 284 | Well above average (index 165) | 46 |
| 18 | Ocean Springs | Mississippi | 11°C / 52°F | 220 | Below average (index 88) | 46 |
| 19 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 12°C / 54°F | 215 | About average (index 98) | 45 |
| 20 | San Antonio | Texas | 11°C / 52°F | 220 | Below average (index 90) | 45 |
| 21 | Houston | Texas | 12°C / 54°F | 204 | About average (index 96) | 43 |
| 22 | Austin | Texas | 11°C / 52°F | 230 | About average (index 105) | 43 |
| 23 | Savannah | Georgia | 10°C / 50°F | 220 | About average (index 95) | 41 |
| 24 | Destin and 30A | Florida | 11°C / 52°F | 235 | Above average (index 118) | 40 |
| 25 | San Luis Obispo | California | 11°C / 52°F | 280 | Well above average (index 175) | 33 |
| 26 | Santa Barbara | California | 12°C / 54°F | 280 | Well above average (index 190) | 32 |
| 27 | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | 10°C / 50°F | 220 | Above average (index 125) | 32 |
| 28 | San Francisco | California | 11°C / 52°F | 160 | Well above average (index 175) | 7 |
Temperatures are average January daily temperatures. Cost of living: 100 = US average. Scores are relative to the other places in this index, from 0 to 100.
What stands out
- Fort Myers, Florida comes out on top, with a January average around 18°C (64°F), about 260 sunny days a year and a cost of living about average for the US.
- Honolulu is the warmest in January at about 23°C, but its higher cost of living puts it at #6.
- For the most sunshine, look at Palm Springs (about 300 sunny days a year, #10). Desert winters are dry and bright, though nights can be cool.
- Ocean Springs, Mississippi has the lowest cost of living in the index (about 88, where 100 is the US average). It ranks #18 because its winters are milder rather than hot.
- Florida has 7 of the top 10 places.
- Best value in the top half: Phoenix at #7, with a cost of living close to the US average and a January around 13°C.
How we ranked
We included every US place on Pinned tagged for warm winters, plus any US place with a January average of 10°C (50°F) or more. Each place gets a score out of 100 built from three things:
- January temperature, 40%. Warmer is better.
- Sunny days a year, 30%. More is better.
- Cost of living, 30%. Lower is better.
For each one, the best place in the index gets full marks and the weakest gets none, with everyone else in between. We add the three parts using the weights above. Ties go to the warmer place.
All figures are approximate averages drawn from the same data as the rest of Pinned. They are for comparing places, not official statistics, and they don't cover things like health insurance, flights or exchange rates. Check current numbers before you sign a lease or buy.
Cite this
Journalists and bloggers are welcome to use this ranking. Please credit:
Source: Pinned Snowbird Index 2026, pinnedhomes.com/snowbird-index